Whats the best deer cartridge?

[hearteater]

A Hoyt works good for me

 

[Usmcff]

My personal favorites are the 30-06 and 7mm-08. Haven’t killed a deer yet with the 08 but been shooting it all summer and excited to try and bag my first muley buck this year in Wyoming. Also both in my favorite budget rifle which is the Ruger American line.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

View attachment 155214

Your chart is incomplete without a .257 Wby Mag. LOL.

 

[belshawelk]

270 WSM. It gives more range and energy than a 270. It smacks em really hard. None of my ever took a step.

 

[OpenCountry]

25-06

 

[Boarmaster]

There is no best. There are so many different situations where one might be better than the other. For deer I look more at the rifle and optic characteristics for where I am hunting than the caliber. That said Im all for relatively flat shooting lower recoil calibers that have ammo readily available. So I settled into 7mm08 and a 270 Win As my primary deer rifles.

 

[Tecumseh]

7mm-08

 

[Yogi and Boo Boo]

I agree that this subject has been beaten up for a hundred years. I obviously will throw in my dime into the mix. The best caliber for any animal is the one that the hunter is comfortable with and has practiced with. I taught hunter education for 20 years and this is how I always answered this question.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

Smoked a Coues once with my buddy’s 7mm Weatherby Mag. That was too much medicine.

 

[dsmith1999]

This year Ill be using an older Lee Enfield which shoots .303 British rounds! Almost exactly the same as a 30/06 but much harder to find and does the job just as well!

 

[Beagleman]

My 2 favorite are the 6.5 creedmore or the 7mm-08. I'd pick the 7mm-08 in most cases tho

 

[Orion’s Breath]

I have had a lot of success with this caliber myself!

Ditto, .270 all the way for my wife and I! Planning on taking it up to WY next week for GEN elk as well

 

[Happy Myles]

I have no idea how many different cartridges I have used on deer. One think in common, they all worked.

 

[Jmjame22]

7 mag is my favorite but they all will work.

 

[bigkicks]

Hard to believe it took this many folks to get the right answer. 25-06.

just shot a 26-06 the other day. what a sweet caliber. wife was able to shoot it too!

 

[Doodah Bach]

.308 for me . . . For deer and any other big game.

 

[idahobucks]

ok my buddy and I didn't see eye to eye on the best cartridge for deer, rather its whitetail, blacktail or mule deer. What do you guys think? What's the Best Deer Cartridge? Myself likes the 8mm mauser.

6.5x284 Norma

 

[longbow51]

Anything you shoot well from .243 on up. I was a "one rifle" guy for years (had many, but always hunted with one) a custom .300 Winchester Magnum Model 70 as elk and deer season overlap. Now too old to drag elk and use 25.06.

 

[IDHUNTNFISH]

I used to use a 7mm Rem Mag for deer and a 300 Rem Mag for elk. Now I own one for everything from antelope to moose. 7mm Ren Mag w/160 Nosler Accubonds.

 

[bkondeff]

Literally no gun can outshoot a 7mmRM with good bullets on deer sized game. Not too much recoil, for a grown man either. Can live with barrels shorter than 26' if needed. Plenty of brass, and even plenty of factory loads for those too unskilled to roll their own, which takes out so many wildcats or pet cartridges developed the last "few" years. Tried and true over decades. Ballistically superior to .243, .270, 30-06, 25-06 and generally any other "standard" caliber. 300WM is just overkill at any range by comparison, though I wouldn't argue against this cartridge on an elk discussion, so much love to this classic. The only other cartridge that truly belongs in the competition is the .280, and yes I do own one in a Mt Rifle, which is as well a balanced gun as I've owned, including bird guns. It just isn't ballistically superior, and really only reaches it's potential in the pet version, Ackley(which I also love, but don't own), so you can't get the loadings or find the ammo as readily unless you roll your own.

So there is my argument. Every other classic, that has ample ammo on the shelf is either ballistically inferior, too big for the job, or a new pet that is not yet proven to either do the job or last, long term.

That said, the best deer rifle is the one you love and shoot well, and most importantly have confidence in. Here's to old bessy, the real winner!